Quick-disconnect cap



Oct. l5, 1968 M. SAAREM l 3,405,839

QUI CK-DI SCONNECT CAP 'Filed Nov. s, 196e 37 M3422. anzsm 35 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent O M' QUICK-DISCONNECT CAP Myrl J. Saarem, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Roylyn Incorporated, Glendale, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 592,689 5 Claims. (Cl. 220-46) ABSTRACT F r.'i-IE DISCLOSURE The application discloses a cap for the open end of a tube or nipple. The cap includes inner and outer telescoping members connected by a lever-and-cam mechanism for effecting relative axial movement of the members which serves to cause locking members carried by the inner member to engage or be released from engagement with the tube.

This invention has to do with caps or closures for the ends of special tubes, nipples, or the like where it is necessary to elfect a leakproof closure by means which can be iirmly locked in place.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved closure or cap adapted to be quickly and securely attached to the open end of a tube, nipple, or the like designed to coiit therewith.

Another object is to provide a cap of the type indicated having a ball or detent-type locking structure and a novel construction embodying lever means for quickly and easily operating locking structure.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description. Referring to the drawmg:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention shown in place on a nipple;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional View on line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view on line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

lFIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but partly in elevation and showing the parts in unlocked position; and

FIG. 6 is an inverted plan view of the device.

More particularly describing the invention, numeral 11 generally designates an outer member or shell which is shown as generally cylindrical, although externally it can be any desired shape. This member has an internal cylindrical surface or bore 12 which receives an inner member or rball cage 14 that is movable axially a limited extent.

The outer member 11 has an end wall 15 which is slotted at 16 and which is provided with two upstanding ears 17, one at each side of the slot, these being centrally disposed. The ball cage 14 is closed at its inner end by an end wall 1-8 and this is provided with a central rectangular projection or solid boss 20. The boss is narrower than the slot 16 in the outer member.

The inner and outer members are connected by a lever 22 and associated mechanism, including a pin 23 which is mounted in the two ears 17 and passes through laterally spaced side anges 24 of the lever. Thus the lever is pivotally mounted upon the pin 23. A pin-and-slot connection, comprising a pin 26 which extends through boss 20 of the member 14 and through corresponding arcuate slots 28 provided in wings or side flanges 24 of the lever, serves to connect the lever and member 14 and provides a means for effecting relative movement of the ball cage 14 relative to the outer member 11. The boss is received between the two side anges 24 of the lever.

The locking mechanism comprises balls 30 located in apertures or holes 31 in the wall of the member 14, the diameters of the balls 'being somewhat greater than the thickness of the wall so that the balls can be forced inwardly beyond the inner surface 32 of the member v14 to 3,405,839 Patented Oct.. 15, 1968 enter and lock in a groove 33 in a nipple 34 upon which the device is shown mounted in FIGS. 1-4. The balls are cammed in by means of an insert ring 3S in the outer member when the parts are in the position of FIGS. 1-4. The holes 31 in the inner member have a smaller diameter adjacent the inner surface of the member than the diameter of the balls so as to retain the balls, as is customary. The inner surface 32 of the ball cage is interrupted by a groove 36 which accommodates an O-ring 37 for effecting a seal with the nipple 34, or a similar tube end or fitting.

In use, it will be apparent that the cap, with lever 22 in the position of FIG. 5, can be readily slipped over or removed from a nipple or the like. A simple turn of the lever serves to lock the device in place, or if it is locked, to unlock it.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A quick-disconnect cap for a special nipple or the like having a peripheral groove adjacent its end, comprising an outer member with a cylindrical interior, an inner member received in said outer member and adapted to receive the end of the nipple, lever means connecting said inner and outer members and movable to produce limited relative axial movement therebetween, locking means carried by said inner member and adapted for engagement in the groove of the nipple, a cam ring carried by said outer member for actuating said locking means upon relative movement of said inner and outer members, and seal ring means carried within said inner member inwardly of the locking means for engagement with the nipple.

2. The cap set forth in claim 1 in which said lever means comprises a lever pivotally mounted at one end of said outer member on an axis transverse to the cylindrical interior of the member, and a pin and arcuate slot-type connection between the lever and the adjacent end of the inner member.

3. A quick-disconnect cap for a nipple or the like having a peripheral groove near its end, comprising an outer member having a cylindrical interior open at one end and having an end wall at the other end, a cylindrical ball cage received in and movable slideably with respect to said outer member, said cage being apertured at spaced circumferential points in a common plane, locking balls disposed individually in the apertures of said cage, said balls being of greater diameter than the thickness of the cage in the region of the balls, said cage being generally cylindrical with a closed inner end and an interior sea'l ring, lever means connecting said outer member and said ball cage, and means carried by said outer member for displacing said balls radially inward of the cage when the cage is moved into the outer member.

4. The quick-disconnect cap set forth in claim 3 in which said cage is formed with a central boss at its end, said outer member having an opening to freely receive said boss, and in which the lever means comprises a lever pivotally mounted on said outer member, and a pin and arcuate slot connection between the lever and said boss.

5. A quick-disconnect cap for a nipple or the like having a peripheral groove near its end, comprising an outer, generally cylindrical member open at one end and having a diametrically slotted end wall at the other, a cylindrical ball cage inner member within said outer member and having an open end at one end to receive the nipple and a closed end at the other, said ball cage member having a boss on its closed end adapted to enter the slot in the end wall of said outer member, locking balls carried by said ball cage member, means carried by said outer member for camming said balls radially inwardly of the cap when said inner member is moved in one direction relative to said outer member, said outer member having a pair of upstanding ears on its end Wall at the sides of the slot therein, a lever pivotally mounted on said ears, and a pin and arcuate slot-type connection between said lever and said boss on the inner member, the slotted portion of said connection being nonconcentric with the pivotal axis of the lever, said inner member having a seal ring inwardly of the locking balls for engaging the peripheral surface of the nipple.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,854,274 9/ 1958 Gordon 2.20-55 X 3,219,228 11/1965 Sorenson 220-55 X 2,966,277 12/ 1960 Bean 220-25 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. E. LOWRANCE, Assistant Examiner. 

